title: Androgen-induced changes in nuclear pore number and in tight junctions in rat seminal vesicle epithelium.
abstract: The numbers of nuclear pore complexes and tight junctions were quantified in the seminal vesicle epithelial cells of castrated and castrated-plus-androgen-treated male rats, which received subcutaneous pellets of testosterone propionate (1 mg/kg body weight) for 1 week. Seminal vesicle weights were 0.284 +/- 0.02 g for castrated, 1.006 +/- 0.006 g for androgen-treated, and 0.918 +/- 0.04 g for untreated groups. Tissue samples were processed for light or electron microscopy and for freeze-fracture techniques. Nuclear areas were measured: controls were 279.34 +/- 8 microns 2; these increased significantly (P less than .001) in castrated-plus-androgen-treated rats (324.66 +/- 11 microns 2) and decreased (P less than .001) in castrated animals (173.14 +/- 6.3 microns 2). Nuclear pore density increased (P less than .001) in castrated-plus-androgen-stimulated rats (5.38 +/- 0.24 pores/microns 2) (control: 4.78 +/- 0.14 pores/microns 2), and decreased (P less than .001) in castrated rats (3.16 +/- 0.14 pores/microns 2). A significant (P less than .001) increase in numbers of tight junction strands that extended in the lateral cell membranes was detected in castrated-plus-androgen-treated rats vs. controls or castrated-only animals.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cavicchia
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens